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Coiners |
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Coiners
Story |
The
activities of the Cragg Vale coiners did not go unnoticed. William
Deighton, the Supervisor of Excise for the Halifax district since 1759
had undoubtedly noticed that clipping and counterfeiting was going on
under his nose, but was unable to produce firm evidence to bring the
culprits to justice. Deightons
luck changed in 1769 when he met James Broadbent, a coiner himself but
no more than on the fringes of the gang. Broadbent would inform on other
members of the gang, resulting in several arrests that year. The first,
John Sutcliffe of Mytholmroyd, was caught in the act of clipping a coin.
Others followed, and though a raid on Thomas Clayton, one of King
David's closest associates failed when the assailant fled, the net was
closing. Unable to catch David Hartley, Deighton once again enlisted the help of Broadbent, promising 100 guineas for him to betray Hartley and another close associate, James Jagger. At
a meeting held in the Sun Inn, Bradford, Broadbent swore his statement
before Deighton and a Magistrate, Mr Leedes, stating that he had
witnessed Hartley and Jagger clip four Guineas at Bell House. The
statement was all Deighton needed to arrest the coiners, which he did on
the 14th October 1769 with the help of local Solicitor Robert Parker.
Hartley was arrested in the Cock Inn, Halifax, Jagger in the Cross Pipes
Inn, also Halifax. Broadbent
never received his bribe.
The days of William Deighton were now numbered
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